Devices for use in applying surface treating liquids



S. CABOT Sept. 13, 1966 DEVICES FOR USE IN APPLYING SURFACE TREATING LIQUIDS Filed April 1, 1963 IN VENTOR.

SAMUEL CABOT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,271,807 DEVICES FOR USE IN APPLYING SURFACE TREATING LIQUIDS Samuel Cabot, Boston, Mass. (241 Perkins St., Jamaica Plain 30, Mass.) Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 269,615 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-223) The present invention relates to devices for applying surface treating liquids such as adhesives, paints, oils, stains and varnishes, and plastics.

Surface treating materials such as those to which reference has been made, are most commonly applied by means of brushes and it is widely appreciated that not only are brushes expensive but also that they must be cleaned after use. There is, accordingly, a real demand for a device that is capable of effective use in applying surface treating materials and that is so inexpensive that it may be discarded after use, even a touching up use.

The principal objective of the present invention is to provide devices that effectively meet that demand and this objective is attained with devices each comprising a plurality of flexible sheets having surface-engaging ends with means interconnecting the sheets as a book in mutual reinforcing relationship with their surface-engaging ends lined up, one behind another and with he interconnecting means being spaced from those ends to form capillary surfaces between adjacent free end portions of the sheets.

The sheets may be paper, plastic, or metal provided that they are inert with respect to the material with which the device formed therefrom is to be used. In addition, the sheets must be sufiiciently stiff so that, when interconnected, a satisfactory brushing effect is achieved without there being so many sheets that the devices are cumbersome and without the amount of liquid they carry being substantially in excess of a conventional brush load.

In general, an acceptable brushing effect is one comparable to that attainable with any particular brush formed with bristles of good quality. For some uses, the looked-for characteristic is a stroke having sharply defined edges while for other uses, the adaptability of the brush for use in linear work is the desirable feature. For many uses, however, it is desired that the width of the device, when dry, be substantially the same as its width when applying the material, without the device being too stiff, too flimsy, or too bulky.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be apparent.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention with the interconnection of the sheets effected by a transverse staple,

FIGURE 2 is a like view of a device where the staple is applied vertically,

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section through a typical jar with the device of FIGURE 2 secured to its cover,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a device consisting of a series of relatively wide sheets stapled to a handle,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View showing a handle secured to the device of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary and partly sectional view of a cover having a device in accordance with another embodiment of the invention attached thereto.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown .a generally indicated device 10 having a plurality of flexible sheets 11, each of approximately the size and shape of the others. The sheets 11 are assembled to provide a book with their surface-engaging ends 12 lined up and with the sheets interconnected intermediate their ends by any suitable means, conveniently as by a staple 13 whose bridge extends transversely of the sheets and divides them into free end portions 14 and 15.

The device 10 may be used effectively by itself by dipping an end portion into the liquid and then using it in the manner of a brush in applying the liquid or it may, as illustrated by FIGURE 5, have a handle 16 attached to the end portion 15 in any desired way, conveniently as by staples 16.

The device 20 shown in FIGURE 2 is generally similar to the device 10 and has a plurality of flexible sheets 21 assembled in book-form with their surface-engaging ends 22 lined up and interconnected in a central zone by a staple 23 Whose bridge extends lengthwise of the sheets to afford lengthwise reinforcement between the free end portions 24 and 25. Like the device 10, the device 20 may be used by itself.

In FIGURE 3, there is shown a conventional jar 26 of the type often used for paints for use in touching up surfaces. The jar 26 is'closed by a cover 27 threaded on its mouth with the margins of its gasket 28 in sealing engagement therewith. The upper end portions 25 of the device 20 are shown as divided into two oppositely disposed sets with each set being attached to the gasket 28 as by a staple 29. By this construction, the jar cover 27 becomes a convenient means for holding and manipulating the device 20 in applying the contents of the jar 26 to the surface to be painted or otherwise treated.

In FIGURE 5, the device 30 has a book of relatively large, flexible sheets 31 with their surface-engaging ends 32 lined up, one behind another, and with the book of sheets attached to a handle 33 as by staples 34 in such a position as to provide free end portions 35 of the sheets.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGURE 6, there is shown a device 40 comprising a book of relatively long, flexible sheets 41 attached, between their surface engaging ends, at two diametrically spaced places to the gasket 42 of a jar cover 43 as by staples 44 below which the depending sheets are interconnected as by a staple 45 to provide a loop portion 46 and free end portions 47.

The sheets of devices in accordance with the invention may be made from a wide range of materials with the selection being dependent on cost and the nature of the material to be applied as the sheets must be substantially inert with respect thereto.

In the case of paints of the oil base type, for example, paper may be used, while with aqueous liquids, the sheets are of plastic or metal, or waterproof paper. In any case, however, the devices have the advantage that each is easily cut to provide the width wanted for any particular use.

For non-aqueous liquids, sheet of uncalendered kraft paper in the weight range of from 60 to 120 pounds are satisfactory as being sufficiently stiff for use with books of from two to twelve sheets and sufficiently rough surface that their proximate faces provide capillary surfaces for carrying such a liquid and permitting its even release during a brushing stroke. By way of example, with paints of normal viscosity, ten sheets of pound kraft are more effective than with either fewer or more sheets in the interconnected book. Sheets of Whatever material is used for such liquids must have the above surface and stiffness characteristics for best results. With other less viscous liquids, even more sheets may be used in forming the devices.

While any of the material that may be used for the sheets is available in lengths that may be readily cut into desired lengths, a particular advantage in the use of paper results from tearing the paper into the desired lengths. This result is that a tear, as shown in the drawings, leaves a somewhat irregular and softer edge than does a cut.

From the foregoing, it Will be apparent that devices a in accordance with the invention are well adapted to meet a wide range of requirements in use and in production to ensure that they may combine such low cost, that each may be discarded after a single use, with effectiveness in spreading the various materials referred to.

I claim:

A device for applying a surface treating material, such as paints, varnishes, and the like, said device comprising a plurality of flexible paper sheets, each having a surfaceengaging end in the form of a torn edge, means interconnecting said sheets in mutually reinforcing relationship with their surface-engaging ends lined up, one behind another, said means interconnecting said sheets above said ends to form a capillary surface between adjacent free end portions of said sheets.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 12/1954 Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILL'MUTH, Primary Examiner.

PHILIP R.

ARVIDSON, Assistant Examiner. 

